"I never told him that I loved him – and I really do."

That was the heartbreaking thought running through 19-year-old Michiko Campbell's mind yesterday, following his twin brother Machai's road death.

Michiko knew something was wrong even before news came through that Machai's bike had been in a serious collision around 12.45 pm on Tuesday.

"I had a feeling when I was at work, when I thought I was getting a call from somebody but there wasn't a call. I checked my phone and there were no missed calls. I called my daddy and his phone was off. Then my friend called and told me it looked like my brother had been in an accident outside her house," explained Michiko, a chef at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.

"I told her to call S.A.L where he worked, and they said he was on his lunch break and they couldn't find him. As soon as I got off the phone with her the hospital called me and said I was needed down there.

"When I got there I was devastated, I was scared, I didn't know what was going on. I looked at my daddy's eyes – they were all red and he had tears. He would not answer me. Then I started breaking down and crying, I was yelling out loud, screaming. I ran into his (Machai's) room and I jumped on the bed. I didn't know what to do."

It was too late for Michiko to say goodbye to his twin. He had suffered severe chest and organ injuries when his motorcycle come into collision with another cycle heading in the opposite direction on Cavendish Road in Pembroke, and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Machai's death marked the 17th of 2008, the worst year in a decade for road fatalities. While the circumstances of the collision remained under investigation by the Police yesterday, Michiko was left trying to come to terms with his loss.

"I'm feeling like crap. Total crap. I can't sleep properly, I can't function, I don't even want to be around my friends but I need them around to hold onto for comfort," he said.

Machai, a talented sportsman, played football for Dandy Town Hornets and cricket for Western Stars. He was a member of the Bermuda under-19 side that went to the cricket World Cup in Malaysia last year, and last month travelled to Argentina with the Bermuda A side.

Although Michiko does not share his brother's love of sport, he was proud to see his career flourishing. Currently enrolled in a culinary programme at Bermuda College as well as working at the Yacht Club, he hopes his career as a chef will enable him to see the world like Machai did.

"My relationship with my brother, it was difficult at times. That's what brothers go through, but he was cool, a nice person. When we had a good time we always wanted to hang around each other. He was a cool, down-to-earth type of brother and he was always willing to do anything – fishing, go to a football game or play football," he said.

"I'm planning on furthering myself in this culinary programme and if I accomplish that it will be for him. I'm also thinking about trying out cricket just to see if I can do it or not."

The twins, from Pembroke, have five other siblings – sisters Sariah, 18, Shonte, 16, and India 12, and brothers Seth 14, and Swayne, 13. Seth proudly wore Machai's national cricket jersey on Wednesday when he accompanied dad Wayne Campbell, 46, to a memorial gathering at the Western Stars club in Pembroke.

A huge memorial banner compiled by Seth and Swayne hung outside the club gates and another banner inside was filled with messages from team-mates and friends. Reading the tributes to his son, Mr. Campbell Sr. reflected: "His personality was just out there.

He wasn't afraid to approach people. He got along with a lot of people. He had more friends than he had enemies."

Mr. Campbell Sr., a former Police officer now working as a trucker, raised the twins from a young age. Machai spent a lot of time with his mother Ateena Raynor and was also close to his stepmother, Sharita Campbell.

This was not the first tragedy on Bermuda's roads to have hit the family. Mr. Campbell Sr. lost his younger brother Brian, 32, in a bike accident in November 1999. A cousin of Seth and Swayne also died in a road accident.

Having been called to the hospital after Machai's accident, Mr. Campbell Sr. said: "I just went back to my brother – I saw the same picture of my brother in the same hospital room."

More tributes poured in for Machai from his co-workers at S.A.L Trading, where he worked as a warehouseman. He was out doing the lunch run for them when the accident happened.

Yard foreman Kelly Young said: "He was one of the nicest people to meet. Machai was like everybody's little brother, the little brother that everybody was proud of. He was doing such great things with his life and was always a happy-go-lucky kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He was loved and definitely will be greatly missed."

Yard supervisor Darrel Maharaj described Machai as a prankster with a million dollar smile.

"He had such a zest for life. I've never seen him in a bad mood or stressed out about anything in life. He was always positive and 'up' and it's unreal that he's not coming back."

Merchandiser Marchal Baker attended East End Primary and Clearwater Middle School with Machai. They went their separate ways when Machai went to Berkeley Institute and Mr. Baker went to CedarBridge Academy, but met back up at S.A.L.

"He was a good guy. He never harmed anybody. He didn't deserve to go out like that. He had a good life ahead of him," he said.

A Police spokesman said: "The Bermuda Police Service would like to take this opportunity to formally convey our sincere sympathies to former PC Wayne Campbell and his family on the loss of Machai. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the friends of Machai at this difficult time."

The other motorcyclist involved in the collision, a 31-year-old man from Paget, was rushed to hospital with injuries to his right hand and body. He has since been released. A third motorist, a 17-year-old on an auxiliary cycle who was indirectly involved in the collision, suffered abrasions to his left foot, but declined medical attention.

An investigation into the collision is being conducted by PC Rawle Massiah. Machai's funeral will be held on Wednesday January 7 at the Church of Christ, Devonshire, at 2 p.m.

n Tributes pour in for talented sportsman, Sport Page 19